Tribute
The planet Tribute is the second in the Epsilon Eridani system. Before its glassing in 2552, Tribute was a center of industry. A lengthy battle took place on the planet, which resulted in the loss of several population centers and eventually the whole planet. The Covenant, already in the system at the time, moved on to Reach, the bastion of the Human military. Tribute was terraformed back to livable conditions in 2589, where it again became a manufacturing center, sometimes utilizing glass from the attack in its products. The planet has little political importance besides Reach, but it is an overlooked gem with its high points. Planetary Description Tribute is roughly as old as its neighbor, Reach. The planet's age is slightly over a billion years old. Geological activities on the planet have not died down due to its age. Several rings of volcanoes surround the tectonic plates and submarine volcanic ridges are known to exist. The gravity is thirty percent stronger than that of Earth's which may prove interesting to those who have not been there before, but it is easy to acclimate to the gravitational pull. The year is also shorter given the orbital distance to its sun. In terms of climate, despite its closeness, Tribute is on the cooler end of the scale. With a thicker atmosphere than Earth, it is assumed that the air would be rather warmer. The current scientific explanation is that Tribute is on its way to an ice age and is currently moving away from an inter-glacial period. Tribute has two moons, Dakom, the larger, and Palolim, a smaller rock. When both the moons are lit in the sky, the citizens consider it a time of celebration. The tidal forces of such a moon meant that two different types of ocean rises were common, with three phases - Low Tide, Mid-Tide, and High-Tide. Two moons aligned with one another has been linked to tidal waves and even earthquakes in the past. Because of the cooler climate, warm periods are highly sought after by the populace. Tribute had large polar ice caps that stretched hundreds of miles. In some cases, the ice caps would even reach lower continents. Icebergs were common all around the planet as they managed to stay intact before the ice melted in warmer climates. This did not mean that Tribute did not have warm climates. Indeed, there were many places that experienced warm temperatures all year round, reaching the mid seventies to nineties Fahrenheit consistently. This is the location of many resorts and private housing. Tribute's proximity to Reach allowed for quick transport of raw goods from one planet to another. It was also in such a position where sublight drives could be used. Even though travel times could range between days to weeks, costly Slipspace drives wouldn't need to be used. The distance was more akin in principle to age of sail liners. Trivia * Is located in the same star system as Epsilon Eridani I - also known as Reach. List of Appearances * Heart of Chaos (First Appearance) Category:Planets Category:Locations Category:Planet